Semiconductor devices are used in many electronic and other applications. Semiconductor devices comprise integrated circuits that are formed on semiconductor wafers by depositing many types of thin films of material over the semiconductor wafers, and patterning the thin films of material to form the integrated circuits.
There is a demand in semiconductor device technology to integrate many different functions on a single chip, e.g., manufacturing various types of active and passive devices on the same die. However such integration creates additional challenges that need to be overcome. For example, conventional structures require large surface areas or have poor electrical quality. For aggressive integration, it is essential to have a low surface area along with a high quality factor. Further, conventional processes require separate formation of the inductor increasing the process cost.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a structure and method of forming inductors having high inductivity and low resistivity without a significant increase in production costs.